Changing Fate
by christineexx
Summary: When Murlough finds Victoria walking the streets of the city, he can't help but change her. But when her mentor dies, what will happen to her? Rated T for swearing. Steve/OC, possibly Darren/OC later. Formerly "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love".
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note: Hey, guys! I came up with an idea for another Cirque fic and wrote out a prologue and a first chapter, so here goes the prologue… I'm not sure if I'll actually continue writing this, but if you guys like it I'll put out more for ya:D**_

_**Read and review, please? :D**_

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_A man put me in a death grip with one hand snaked against my waist, clutching my back against his body and restraining me from making any movement. With his other arm, he was holding a knife to my throat. I glared at his reflection in the window of the building we were in and commanded him, "Do it. Kill me. I don't fucking care."_

_I heard him grunt, and for a brief moment, the pressure on my neck increased. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, ashamed of the way I was about to die. I hadn't even bothered trying to fight back. Is that how my people would remember me? A coward who died at the hands of a vampire without a single word?_

_As soon as that thought had passed through my mind, I found breathing a lot easier. I heard the clatter of the knife falling against the floor. I stared at my captor's reflection in shock— he looked resigned, if not outright upset. He shoved his feelings to the side, though, as he roughly shoved me down so that I was on my knees. He readjusted our positions so that he was holding my hands together and he was crouching down in front of me. His brown eyes bore holes into my red ones as he growled roughly, "Cooperate. Maybe then I'll let you live."_

* * *

><p>I awoke next to Steve as per usual. I gave what I hoped to be his sleeping form a hate-filled glare as I began to get up. I had barely lifted my body from the bed when a hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me back down to a sitting position. Steve's eyes flashed open and he glared at me before informing me, "Don't even try it. You know better than that."<p>

I scowled at him angrily and retorted uselessly, "What the fuck do you think I am; your slave?" He gave me a look that clearly expressed the answer we both knew to be true: Yes. I was, in fact, his slave.

_Fuck that. Fuck Steve Leonard._

I yanked my arm out of his iron grip and snarled at him, "I'm going to get some coffee. Is that alright, _sir?_" I didn't wait to hear his answer before getting up and moving away. He reached for my arm to pull me back down again, but this time I was expecting it and got out of the way before strolling over to the kitchen. I knew that he would soon be after me— after all, he was the boss in this relationship, and I had just defied him—, but today I didn't care in the least. I put the coffee grinds into the filter and turned on the machine, just as I did almost every morning.

Right when the machine sprung to life and began to flow water through it, I found myself being thrown to the floor by my oh-so-_lovely _boyfriend. "What the _fuck _did I say?" he demanded angrily. He hated it when I exhibited any sort of free will.

I stared into his eyes which, for whatever reason, didn't match the typical vampaneze's red color. I put on the most innocent face I could muster. "That you love me, you're sorry, and will never lay another finger on me?" I guessed, my bitter sarcasm hidden under my act.

His scowl deepened as he habitually raised his fist to hit me. He then lowered it when he realized that I was expecting him to do something of the sort, he instead spat at me, "I should've known you'd throw that shit back in my face." He scowled at me before adding, "You know what, I honestly don't care anymore. Go do whatever the _fuck _you want!" He stormed out of the hotel room; probably to go off and murder some innocent woman.

Again.

For any of you guys are wondering, I'm Victoria— Vic or Vicky for short. I'm physically about eighteen years old, and I'm actually about twenty-eight. In case you haven't guessed, I'm a half-vampaneze. I was blooded by a man named Murlough, who claimed that I was, and quote, _'pretty enough' _for him. He turned me about eleven years ago, and died a year after that. Well… technically, he was murdered— a vampire killed him during our stay in the sewers of a city. I can't honestly say that I minded when he died; he'd been horrible, abusive, clinically insane, a bad teacher, a pedophile, and _terribly _annoying. I was probably only about four months into my apprenticeship whit him when he drank some bad blood and went completely mad. Needless to say, I had been thrilled upon discovering he would never come back.

A year or two after Murlough's death, I met Steve. I've been with the son of a bitch for almost eight years. All was well at first, but as time went on he grew more and more vicious. Within three years, he'd magically transformed into the bipolar asshole that I now knew. I say bipolar because he'll be the sweetest guy in the world for about a week, but then he'd turned around and bite the second your guard was down. The moment his mood went south, everything would change back to normal, and I would be his pummeling bag. He's abusive, needy, and controlling… And I love him with every fiber of my being. We have a very complicated relationship, and you'd have to be in it to understand it.

…What am I saying? _I _don't even understand our relationship, which leads us back to the question I keep wondering, myself: Why the hell am I with him?

Try as I might, I can't find the answer to that question. He beat me, toyed with my emotions, and (more than likely) cheated on me. For all I knew, he hated me! But through it all, I stayed with him. I loved him, and I _always _came back. No matter what he'd done, I would look in his eyes and believe every apology like it was the first time I'd heard it.

_Babe, it'll never happen again. I love you. I'll get better; I promise. Please come back, babe. For me?_

I had heard that line almost every other night throughout the five years Steve had been abusing me. And I don't mean the general idea of that statement, either— I mean word for word, _exactly _that line. It was rehearsed, it was fake, and it was over-used… but I bought it every time. I refused to believe that my Steve was evil. I refused to believe that he would never change, and I held onto all of the times he'd ever told me he loved me.

But before I begin to weave my tale for you, let's make this perfectly clear: He was, he wouldn't, and he didn't.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So? What do you think? Should I continue?**_

_**Thank you so much for your input! :D**_


	2. The Beginning

_**Author's Note: Alright, so first of all, for all of you who are gonna comment on how OOC Murlough is, this takes place before he went totally and completely bonkers. Meaning that he's completely different from the Murlough we see in the books, who will either come in next chapter or the one after that.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Review response time! :D<strong>_

_**DD: thank you so much for reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to you, the first reviewer :D**_

_**FallenAngelLuv: Thank you so much! I really appreciate it:D**_

_**Kexy Kewl: Hi. So uhm, I kind of love you. Let's get hitched.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Keep the reviews coming guys! :D<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

I didn't know who was chasing me or why they were doing it. All I knew was that I had to get away— and _fast. _Normally, I wasn't one for running— not only did I hate everything that had to do with running, but I'd rather stand my ground and fight. But when you're walking the city streets alone and a man twice your size shows up and starts _charging _at you, you don't really have much of a choice. _Especially _when the man in over six feet tall, heavyset, has purple skin, and nails, hair, and eyes the color of blood! He was definitely more than a little creepy, and I knew that it would be wisest for me to take off.

As my feet pounded against the pavement and buildings and streets passed me by, I decided to risk a glance over my shoulder to see if the man was still chasing me. Although I was running at a full sprint, he was keeping up with just a light jog. By the way he came a little closer behind me every time I looked over, I could tell he was toying with me. The fact that he was just playing with me and actually _enjoying _this just made me want to get away from him even more. He had to be one sick, sick bastard if he was willing to do this to me just for kicks. I kicked up my speed another notch and began swerving around the city— taking sharp turns, going through narrow alleys… I even went as far as to jump a few fences in my attempts to escape his pursuit, but my efforts were in vain.

I suppose he grew tired of our little cat and mouse chase, because a rough hand shoved me to the ground. I let out a cry of pain as I landed on my shoulder and heard the signature _pop _that meant I'd dislocated it. Whoever this strange man was stared down at me and watched me cradle my shoulder for a moment before commenting, "Huh. I was right; you _are _pretty. Maybe even pretty enough for Murlough, hmm?"

I gazed up at the scary-looking man and gaped in a mixture of shock, disgust, pain, and terror. I tried to collect my thoughts but couldn't, so I instead blurted out, "I'm only sixteen, you freak!"

He yanked me to my feet, sending a new wave of pain through my shoulder. I didn't even have the chance to cry out before he'd grabbed it and popped it back into place. He'd used too much force and it hurt like a bitch, but I knew he'd just helped me so I kept my mouth shut. He glared at me and, referring to my previous comment, threatened me with a menacing, "Watch your tone."

I shrunk back from him immediately. I knew from how hard he'd shoved me and his tight grip on my shoulder as he'd popped it back into place that he was full of brute force, and wasn't afraid to use it. I looked him in the eyes and pleaded, "Please don't kill me."

An evil smile crossed his face, and I could see a new energy surge through him, just like how a new wave of fear ran through me. He slowly walked around me in a circle, evaluating me from all angles. "Scrawny," he commented when he was at my back. I would have twisted my head to look at him, but I was frozen stiff from terror. He continued walked around me and stopped when he was in front of me. "I have an offer," he said slyly, and a sinister grin once again lit up his horrible face.

I was incapable of thought at the moment, and I found myself beginning to splutter like an idiot. "P-please d-don't—"

"Shut up, you incompetent fool!" he snapped angrily. When I force my stuttered pleas to cease, the corners of his lips turned down and he stared at me seriously before beginning to speak. "I will give you a choice; it will be a very simple one. Life, or death?"

"Life," I responded eagerly, pouncing on the offer without thinking of the potential consequences my thoughtless decision might bring. No negative thoughts registered with me at that time; for some reason, I'd thought he was giving me an easy way out. I should've known better— and if I had the ability to go back in time, knowing what I know now, I probably would have chosen the latter over the former.

"Very well," he grunted before staring me down. He looked away momentarily and pushed his nails against each of his hands, making a puncture in each of his fingertips. I frowned, wondering what he was doing. I didn't have to wonder long, because he pushed me against the wall of the alley and pinned my arms up against the walls, my palms facing him. I winced when my head hit the wall, hard. When he stuck his nails into _my _fingertips, I let out a little yelp. His stare turned into a glare as he ordered, "You mustn't be so weak. If you yell like a baby every time you get a minor injury such as these, you will not live a very long life. This is the least of the pain you will endure later on."

As he pressed his open wounds to mine, I stared at him with a bewildered expression. I struggled to find the words before managing to say, "W-what are you doing? What do you m-mean?"

"Oh, I guess I really didn't explain anything to you yet, huh?" He grinned and whispered, "Don't tell anyone, but it was because I knew you would run when I blooded you."

"R-run?" I hesitated before asking nervously, "W-what does it mean to be b-blooded?"

"It means that you will be a half-vampaneze. We are like vampires, only much, much better." He pulled his hand away from mine and ran his tongue over each of my ten puncture wounds, sealing them with his healing saliva. He paused for a brief moment before deciding, "That is all you really need to know for now." He breathed into his hand and cupped it over my nose and mouth. I slumped forward into his awaiting arms, and my world faded to black.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Not as good as the first chapter, I know, but I promise it'll get better! I didn't know how to write Murlough as **_**not **_**being an insane psycho-freak, and next chapter I promise he'll be his unlovable, crazy-as-hell self! :D This story is going to be pretty fast-paced, I think, with a couple of months going by between chapters. I say this because, hell, Mr. Shan put **_**years **_**between books! :D**_

_**Review? :D**_


	3. Four Months Later

_**Author's Note: Hey, guys! It's me again. :D I realize that time gaps are confusing, so I'm making it so that the title of each chapter of my story is named after the time it's been since last chapter. For example, this chapter is placed four months after the previous chapter. Therefore, this is called 'Four Months Later'. It probably didn't need that much of an explanation, but there ya go. :D**_

_**Kexy Kewl: I already wrote you a long-ass review response, so I'm gonna keep this short. I love you, I'm glad we're married now, and I am so thankful for your continuous support. You're amazing.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

I was sitting down against the wall of the sewers, staring across at the wall in front of me. Most people wouldn't have been able to see more than a foot in front of them due to the lack of light, but I'm not most people. I'm a half-vampaneze, which entails a lot more than I'd thought. For example, it's apparently against our nature to feed and leave. We're supposed to kill our meals, instead of just taking blood and letting them be. In the four months since my mentor turned me, I have not once killed. He often scolded me for it, but I would rather have to listen to an earful than be a murderer.

Speaking of Murlough, he was the one who had put me into my oh-so-eventful situation. He'd set up shop down in the sewer system about a month after blooding me, and we'd been down here ever since. We would come up to feed, but other than that, I was stuck down here with him. He didn't trust me to go out by myself— or, rather, he didn't trust me alone until two weeks ago when he left the city. Since then, I hadn't had any blood, and I was feeling the effects. I was weaker than most vampaneze already, due to my refusal to kill my prey and the human blood still coursing through my veins. However, the additional lack of blood was making me even weaker. I was unsure of how to feed by myself without killing, and I was terrified to try. I didn't want to hurt anybody by accident. Usually, Murlough knocked out a victim for me, waited to see if I was going to kill my prey, and then healed them with his saliva when he saw I wouldn't. Because of my lack of experience, when Murlough left for 'business' I was rendered helpless. I had to starve until he came.

I hadn't left the sewers once since he'd gone— he was my mentor, and he usually wouldn't let me up to the world I came from. He said that people were looking for me; that every second on the surface would be a dangerous one. However, as I looked around the disgusting tunnels that had become my home, my nose wrinkled with disgust. Would it really be so bad if I went up for a break? Surely nothing bad would come of it. I didn't see how one itty-bitty visit to the real world would harm anything. And even if somebody _did _pick me up, would it really be so bad?

I bit my lip before walking down the tunnel and up a sewer grate. I took in a deep breath of the cool, clean air and smiled. _I'd missed this. _I began wandering the streets happily, glad to be out in the open for once. I was aware that I was probably dirty and smelly, but I didn't really care. I would just sneak into a house and use their shower.

As I thought about the idea, the better it seemed. I walked around the city until I saw a house with no lights on. I snuck around, looking for cars in the driveway. Thankfully, none were there. I crawled in through an open window and searched through the rooms for clothes that I could wear. I turned on the lights in the first room I went in, saw girls' clothes strewn about, and smiled. I looked through her drawers, picked out a form-fitting black T-shirt and skinny jeans (I had lost a considerable amount of weight since being blooded), and walked into the bathroom. I shut the door and turned on the water, shedding my clothes before stepping into the droplets of heaven falling on my shoulders.

I had just finished my shower and begun putting my 'borrowed' clothes on when I heard a knock on the door. "Marissa? Is that you?"

I froze immediately, not sure what to do. I glanced around, but even with my decreased size I knew that I couldn't fit through the tiny window set against the wall. I stared at the door, debating whether or not to call back to him. I needn't wonder, because he barged in a moment or two later. He stood and stared at me blankly, not sure what to make of me.

I quickly slipped the shirt over my head, glad that I'd already put on the jeans because that took much more time and effort. I looked at him sheepishly and said, "Um, hey…"

He continued staring before commanding, "Get out of the bathroom." When I didn't comply, he grabbed my arm viciously and dragged me out into the hallway. I began to protest, but he dragged me into the living room. His vibrant blue eyes filled with rage as he demanded, "What the fuck are you doing in my house?"

"I-I don't have a f-family," I stuttered. "I-I just n-needed to t-take a sh-shower." My initial fear had worn off almost completely, but I decided that keeping up the act would be the best way to make sure he wouldn't attempt to hurt me. His eyes continued to glare into mine, but he simply grabbed my wrist and pushed me down. I scowled up at him, all traces of fear forgotten as I demanded, "What the fuck?"

He looked at me and spat, "Shut the fuck up and this will be easier for the both of us." His dark hair fell over his face as he leaned over me to—

A hand wrapped around his throat and yanked him backwards, away from my body. I heard a sickening _snap, _and then howling screams. There was a sound like the cracking of knuckles, and the screams ceased.

The next thing I saw was my mentor's face— only, it wasn't my mentor's face. His reserved, respectable persona had dissipated. His structured composure was lost completely. His constantly stable facial expressions had been overcome by that of a raving lunatic. His posture had weakened into a slouch, and his gut now stuck out enough to make him look pregnant. The purple of his skin had deepened, and the red of his nails, hair, and eyes had grown more vibrant. I frowned and sat up as I looked at him and inquired, "What happened to you?"

Before I could even blink, Murlough's hand shot out and smacked me across the face. I stared at him and gaped; he'd never hit me before. Had I not already been sitting, his blow would have knocked me flat on my ass. His crazed face came close to mine as he hissed venomously, "You will not be rude to Murlough! Murlough is better than you, he is! You will respect clever Murlough! So clever! Without clever Murlough, you will not live! So listen good, hmm?"

On the inside, I winced at his improper use of grammar. I decided that it would be best to keep my correction to myself as I whispered, "Yes, Murlough."

Murlough grabbed my wrist and roughly yanked me to my feet before shoving me down next to the deceased boy who had been about to assault me. "Drink," he ordered.

"I- I can't," I choked out. I couldn't suck him dry, even though the kid had been an asshole and was dead already. It was inhumane. I mean… yeah, I wasn't fully human, but I wanted to be able to look at myself in the mirror without remembering all the faces of those I'd killed.

"You might as well be a vampire! You act as though you're learning under one less clever than I!" He nudged me forward with his foot and growled, "Drink from him or Murlough will kill you, oh yes he will."

I felt tears streaming down my face as I cut a small incision in the boy's arm, put my mouth to it, and began sucking the blood out of his deceased body.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So, yeah. I figured I'd add a little bit of a Darren-esque quality to her. :D**_

_**Let me know what you think in a review! :D**_


	4. Eight Months Later

_**Author's Note: Hey, guys! I love you guys for reading this; really, I do. But can you maybe possibly review? Kexy Kewl has been my only constant reviewer so far, and I love her dearly. But I need other people, too! Because otherwise my heart will be saddened and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT.**_

_**So yeah, in response to your review, Kexy Kewl: The answer to your question will probably be answered the chapter after next.**_

_**Yes indeed. Read and review?(:**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

I couldn't help but bite my lip nervously as I climbed down the ladder into the world beneath the surface. I was unsure of which side of Murlough would be here today. Would I have to face the cocky one? The abusive one? The rapist? The loudmouth? All were sides I've both seen and despised. He made me miserable; he really did. And he knew it, too! Finding new ways to torture me was his all-time favorite pastime. He'd begun letting me roam the city during the nights which was nice, but every time I left, I mourned my return to the wonderful world of sewage. I never wanted to come back from civilization, but he made it very clear what he would do to me if I tried to run away and he caught me. I would much rather deal with my virginity-stealing, fist-friendly, insane excuse of a mentor then die. I'd rather live and fear and shame than be gone, because through everything, I still had hope.

I walked past the first tunnel and called out a wary, "Murlough?" I knew he had gone to kill the human he'd marked a week or so ago, but he should have been back by now. He was always quick, and there was rarely a day when I got back and he wasn't already inside the tunnels, hiding from the sun. He usually waited near the sewage grate for me, and the second my feet touched the ground his rough hands would grab me around the middle. I hated that. I scowled at memories of my apparently absent mentor and called out again, "Murlough, I found a—"

"Hush!" he shouted back from deeper inside the tunnels with an apparent anger in his voice. "Clever Murlough is thinking, he is! Murlough's great brain is coming up with a great plan! Yes, yes it is!"

"A great plan for what?" I asked without thinking. I winced and waited for a fist to cuff my face, as it always did when I blurted out a question. Everything I did had a fifty-fifty shot between hearing his insane cackling and his drawing knives on me.

I got very lucky this time, because I heard crazed laughter coming from deeper inside the tunnels. I followed the noise until he came into view. His body was convulsing with laughter, so I watched him and calmly waited for his mania to pass. He continued giggling as he said, "The old vampire, so old, he tried to stop me! He did! But Murlough is no fool; not like him! Oh, no! I even came back with a prize, I did! Look, Victoria, look!" He grabbed my wrist and roughly yanked me around the corner, where I gaped at one of the most horrible, cruel sights that my vampaneze eyes had ever seen.

There was a boy hanging upside-down by his ankles, and he was all tied up. His body was covered in snake-like scales, and his yellow-green hair cascaded towards the ground. He looked to be about my age, but he also liked like someone who had lived a happy life and recently entered hell.

He looked exactly like I did after I'd been blooded.

I guess that's why my heart went out to him. When my brown eyes connected with his yellow ones, I saw in his eyes all the emotions _I _felt when near Murlough: hate, fear, resentment, sorrow… I frowned at the boy and asked, "What's your name?"

The snake-boy remained silent until Murlough put his knives at his throat. "Say your name, Snakey! Say it for the pretty girl!"

'Snakey' gave me a petrified look that softened when he saw an identical expression on my face. I hadn't meant for him to get threatened, or to make his stay with us any more difficult. He seemed to see all of that in my face as he turned back to Murlough and stammered, "Evra V-Von." I would have stuttered, too, were the roles reversed.

I stared between the two of them and decided to intervene before Murlough did anything that I would regret having witnessed later. I bit my lip again and asked softly, "Murlough… Do you really think this is necessary? I mean, can't we just let him go as a warning to the old vampire, to show him what we can do?"

In a heartbeat, my back was against the wall. My head hit against it with a deafening thud that echoed throughout the tunnels, causing me to let out a small groan of pain. Murlough's knives formed an 'X' at my throat, just like they had at Evra's mere seconds ago. "Would you like to trade places with Snakey? Hmm? Because clever Murlough thinks—"

"Leave her alone," Evra spoke up bravely, cutting off whatever Murlough had just been about to say. I stared at him in alarm— did he realize that his comment could more than likely mean the death of us both?

Murlough looked between the two of us and cackled, the sound of his demented sense of humor sending chills up my spine. "Snakey's got a backbone, huh? Sticking up for the pretty girl? Hmm? Too bad, Snakey! So sorry! She's _my _pretty girl!"

My face became a picture of fear and misery as I twisted my face to the side to avoid one of Murlough's kisses. He let out a shriek of rage at my defiance, reared back his knives, and sliced them across my middle. I looked down at the bloody 'X' in confusion, unable to process what was happening. I put my hand against the injury and stared at it. It was covered in red.

Through my pain and blood loss, I became a little incoherent. I took no realization of what I was doing as I charged at Murlough and seethed, "You stupid son of a bitch!"

His hand shot out and connected with my face, causing me to fall back. I glared up at him as he ordered, "Do not talk to Murlough that way! I will—"

"What can you _possibly_ do to me that's worse than what you've already done?" I demanded. I continued to try and get up, but he held my down with his foot. "You've taken _everything _from me! _Everything! _There's no possible _way _for you to do anything worse than you've done! You— you—"

The last thing I saw before my world went back was Murlough's arms reaching down to lift me into the air.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: Not my best chapter, but it wasn't too bad! I'm still seriously lacking in the review department, so if you guys could do something about that, it's be kind… :P<strong>_

_**Also! I love you all for reading even if you don't review. I'll just love you even more if you do! :D**_

_**And hey; if you review, I might just marry you like I did Kexy Kewl(:**_

_**See you next chapter! :D**_


	5. Two Days Later

_**Author's Note: So, quick question; After this chapter, how long do you think the time skip should be? Weeks? Months? Years? Help me out, people! :D**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Review response time!<strong>_

—_**Kexy Kewl: I actually laughed when I wrote that. I found it quite ridiculous. :D And agreed yo! I hate him.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Two Days Later<strong>

My stomach throbbed. My head ached. I had pins and needles in my feet. The air smelled putrid. Where the fuck was I? Those were the only thoughts I was even remotely capable of thinking when I began to come to. I heard a sickening groan escape my lips as my eyelids fluttered open, revealing a dimly lit room. Using all the effort I could muster, I turned my head from left to right and took in my surroundings. Murlough was nowhere in sight. However, the snake-boy, Evra, was. I looked at him and frowned when I couldn't focus my eyes. When I regained the capability I croaked, "What…?"

A saw a frown appear on his face as he tried to contemplate a response. He could think of nothing and instead pointed at my middle. I looked up at my exposed stomach and—

_Wait, what the fuck? I'm looking _up_ at my stomach?_

That was when I realized that there was a heavy-duty rope tied around my ankles and attached to a hook on the ceiling. I was hanging upside-down, just like Evra was. Unlike Evra, I had a huge, bloodied _'X' _engraved in my stomach. _Also _unlike Evra, I was hanging in just a bra and panties. My eyes widened and flashed back to him as I demanded, "What did he do to me?" When all Evra did in response was bite his lip and avert his gaze, I felt my eyes well up in shame.

_Not again…_

Evra still refused to look at me as he said softly, "I— I'm sorry. I tried to stop him…. But he… he just cut some of my scales off and… and he… I tried. I really did."

I shook my head and stared in the opposite direction as I whispered back, "It's not like it's the first time…"

No more words passed between us. We hung in complete silence until a boy (who was probably around twelve) and what looked to be either his father or grandfather came over. The man was walking at a casual pace, whereas the boy was running full-sprint towards us. He came to a skidding stop in-between the two of us and exclaimed, "Oh, you're awake! Victoria, right?"

I stared at him blankly, unsure of how to respond. I opened my mouth to spit out one of two questions— '_who the hell are you' _or '_how do you know my name'— _when Evra spat at the boy's feet disgustedly. He shot him a glare and exclaimed, "I can't believe you let him just _kill her off!_"

The kid shook his head vigorously, causing his long hair to whip back and forth. "No, Evra, I can explain. It was all a plan that Mr. Crepsley and I put together! I was just acting. We didn't kill her."

"Then what _did _you do?" Evra scowled and glared at the boy he wasn't sure was still his best friend. He scrutinized his face before added in a warning tone, "Darren…"

The kid— Darren, apparently— launched into a long story about Christmas dinner at his girlfriend's house (I couldn't help but think he was too young for a girlfriend), drugged wine, sheep in beds, and saving lives. I really didn't pay much attention to his extravagant tale until he mentioned that the man— Mr. Crepsley— had killed my mentor. My head snapped to face the old fart as I stated inquisitively, "You killed my mentor?"

He nodded his head briefly, and I felt myself burst into tears. _Hell was over._ My hell was finally, _finally _over. I was so overjoyed with their revelation that I didn't even care that I was crying in front of strangers. Sobs wracked my body for a few minutes, and when I began to calm down Mr. Crepsley inquired, "You were close to him, were you not?"

I gave Mr. Crepsley my most incredulous stare, asking him with my eyes whether or not he was kidding. When his only response was to patiently wait for me to answer, I rolled my eyes and exclaimed, "Look at me! Does it _seem _like I was close to him?"

A frown etched lines into his already wrinkled face as he cocked his head to the side. He waited a beat before asking, "You bear his marks, do you not?"

"That doesn't mean I have to be happy about it," I snapped back. Both he and Darren flinched a little, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were in a similar predicament. I studied their faces for a few seconds before casting a glare at the oldest of us all and demanding, "Are you going to let me down, or not?"

He pursed his lips together pompously and responded with a calm tone to his voice, "That depends solely on you. Will you attempt to harm any beings in this city; us or others?" He shook his head, spat at the ground beneath me, and added, "Your mentor has been terrorizing my town. You are lucky I am so kind. Were I any other being, vampire _or _human, I would have killed you on the spot."

"Gee, lucky me," I grumbled sarcastically. I was so fed up with his attitude and how he acted like he was so much better than me. Maybe Murlough was right; maybe all vampires _were _stupid assholes. This one in particular was _not _making a very fine first impression. He was grating on my nerves, but I merely clenched my jaw and said tightly, "Look, buddy, I'm not proud of what I am— okay? Murlough forced me into this. I didn't choose to be a monster. I just am. Now if you would _kindly _let me down, Grandpa, it'd be _much _appreciated!"

He gave me a look like he was about to blow his top, but at that moment, Darren set Evra down on his feet. He wavered before getting a grip and being able to stand upright. As soon as he was able to, he looked at Mr. Crepsley and said wearily, "Mr. Crepsley… please let her down. She's different. She's only tied up and sliced like that because she was trying to save me. He… he did horrible things to her. Please just let her free. I promise that she isn't like the other vampaneze."

Mr. Crepsley's skeptical gaze skipped over from Evra's face to mine. Darren's eyes were flitting between the two of us as well, but that was more because of worry than skepticism. Evra's eyes were glued to the older vampire's indecisive features. I finally couldn't take the silence anymore and inquired, "If you aren't going to let me down, will you at least get me some clothes? I don't want to die in my underwear."

"Darren, go fetch the girl some clothes." Mr. Crepsley pursed his lips again, and the three of us watched Darren dash away. As soon as he was out of sight, Mr. Crepsley turned to me and inquired, "You have not killed?"

"Only when Murlough made me. On my own, I only ever took sips." I paused before frowning and inquiring with a harsh undertone, "Can you just fucking choose already? I feel like I deserve to know whether or not I'm going to live."

"Do not use that tone of voice with me!" he snapped back. He quickly regained his composure and asked rhetorically, "Would I have sent my assistant to go fetch you clothes if I was plotting to kill you?"

I almost grinned at the fact that I was going to live. I was unable to contain my smile, however, when I realized that I was going to live without Murlough.

_I was free._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: You guys know the drill! Lemme know what you think(:**_

_**Review! Review! Review! :D**_


	6. The Next Day

_**Author's Note: So, this is going to be a mad short chapter. Sorry about that. As a rule, I try to make all of my chapters at least a thousand words long, but this chapter just isn't making it. Sorry, guys. :P**_

_**The italics are quotes from Murlough that Vic remembers, in case that wasn't clear.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Review response time!<strong>_

—_**Kexy Kewl: Ahhh! I'm sorry! D: I'm just in a rush to get to when Steve comes into the story in like three years, hahaha. My bad):**_

—_**Onyxx-09: Awww! I'm so glad you like it! :D I appreciate the support(:**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: The Next Day<strong>

I sat on a bench in the park, reminiscing about my mentor and all of the horrible things he had done to me.

_Come here, Vic… It'll only hurt for a second. You'll like it, I promise._

All of the wonderful things he'd done for me.

_I'll help you. See, this is where you should hold the sword…_

All of the scary things he'd done against me.

_You little bitch! Don't make me kill you!_

He had been a good mentor at first; I had to give him that. He had been strict but kind. He had taught me what I needed to know to fight and to live. He even apologized for blooding me; he knew what he'd done was wrong. But then he went completely bananas.

_I shouldn't have forced you into this. I was rash and lustful, and having you as an assistant seemed like the best idea in the world at the time. I'm… I'm sorry. Please forgive me._

But then he'd left me alone for a few weeks and came back as the crazy bastard I'd grown to hate.

_Victoria… Get over here. Come on. Murlough says you come, you come! Come!_

He would, in the beginning of his lunacy, have relapses where he would act like the sane man I used to know. When he did, those times were spent mourning over his former self.

_I'm so sorry, Vic. I killed the vampire, and I just… I don't know. I couldn't help it. I was so thirsty, and I wasn't thinking. I wanted to drink his blood. I _had _to drink his blood. I know it's no excuse for the things I've done, but it's the only one I have. I'm undeniably insane. I have no control. I'm so sorry…_

Over the span of a month's time, his relapses grew fewer and farther between until they just stopped coming altogether. Once his relapses subsided, he became the horrible whack-job I hated. I had hoped that he would come back for a while— it wasn't until the first night that he raped me when I realized he was really gone forever.

_Murlough thinks… Guess! Guess what Murlough thinks! You can't guess, can you? Oh no! No, you can't! Well, maybe I'll just have to tell you, hmm? Murlough thinks that you're pretty. Pretty, pretty girl. And Murlough wants you! Wants you, he does! And what Murlough wants…. Murlough…. GETS!_

I shuddered at the memory of him. He was so scary.

_I will kill you! Yes I will!_

I got up off the park bench and began walking down the cold city streets. I kicked the snow at my feet as I went along. I was only wearing jeans and a T-shirt, but I felt none of the late December cold. All I felt was the numbing pain that my memories brought.

_Stop crying! Stupid, stupid girl! Murlough says STOP!_

I shook my head sadly and thought of home. My home _before _Murlough. The home with the bright red door and the cheaply furnished rooms. The home with the messiest floors in the entire city. The home that was surely too busy to miss the fifth of twelve kids.

_Forget about home! Murlough and the tunnels are your home!_

I banished all thoughts of home from my mind, frowning as I did so. I decided to rid Murlough from my thoughts, as well. Although my childhood had been overall pleasant, thanks to Murlough, any reminders of my past brought on onslaughts of unpleasant emotion.

_Murlough can make you forget about all of that, he can. Just come closer, Victoria…_

I felt a chill run down my spine. Why was he on my mind? No matter what I did, his gravelly voice wouldn't stop replaying in my head.

_Murlough owns you. Yes, he does. You are his. He will do what he wants, yes? Yes! Yes, he will!_

He was dead now. Mr. Crepsley, that old vampire from the tunnels yesterday, had killed him. So shouldn't he be gone by now? Why was he still in my thoughts?

_I know you don't like me. But Murlough will be with you forever, he will, so you must deal with it!_

He'd promised me forever— but I hoped to god that his words didn't ring true. If I was stuck with his memory engraved on my mind forever… I'm not sure I would be able to handle it.

_You are strong. Very strong, you are! Not as strong as Murlough, of course, but strong. You will make it as a creature of the night, you will! That is… Unless Murlough kills you first! Heeheehee!_

He didn't know how right he was.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So, that's my flashback chapter. There will be many more Murlough references and memories and future chapters to come, but this is the only chapter that's going to be written with every other paragraph being a memory. I know this (and the memories) were short, but I hope I did this chapter justice(:**_

_**Review? :D**_


	7. One Month Later

_**Author's Note: So, despite my forever-absence, we still have three whole years to kill before Steve comes into the picture, and I'm kind of running out of ideas on what to do with Victoria until then. So if anybody has any ideas that they want to throw at me, it'd be much appreciated!**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Review response time!<strong>_

_**ShootingStar02: Yay! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it! :D**_

_**SmileYouLiveLonger: Sorry this took so long, and I apologize that it's not very good... But here ya go!**_

_**KexyKewl: Sorry that the chapter didn't live up to its full potential! This one's not going to be much better, but I hope you don't completely hate it(:**_

_**Mason and Alex: Enough to wait over half a year for it? I hope? Hahaha. C:**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: One Month Later<strong>

"No, Johnny, I—" the man at the desk glanced up at me dubiously and snapped his cell phone shut as I approached. He let out an appreciative whistle as he said, "Damn. What's a girl like you doing down in these parts?"

My hair— which I'd dyed jet-black in fear that it'd turn the same blood-red shade as Murlough's had been— fell in my face as a deceptively innocent grin spread across it. To add to the effect, I brushed a stray lock out of my face and took another step closer to him. "A girl like what, Vinnie?"

My whole good-girl routine lost complete credit as soon as he heard me mention his name. His face showed momentary shock at my knowledge of his identity, but it was soon replaced by coyness. I could see in his eyes that he'd decided I was no threat; at worst a fellow gangster's daughter sent to negotiate or at best a corporate prostitute. His expression smoothed out as he answered with an even, "Clean-cut. Wholesome."

I let out a laugh and showed off my winning smile once again, turning up the charm in order to keep him enticed. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not cookie-cutter Barbie doll." I kept up the façade as I took a seat in the chair across from his desk. "I'm Vic. Aspiring hit man."

His eyebrow immediately shot up in disbelief, displaying his opinion on what I'd said. He thought that every word coming out of my mouth that bullshit. His former assumptions were replaced with ones less in my favor; I was either some hopeless kid, or just trying to fuck him over. "Oh, yeah? And exactly how many skeletons are in your closes, _Vic?_"

I decided against answering his inquiry directly, settling instead on playing his game for a little bit. "So your hit men stopped calling you back, huh? Ever wonder why? Why they're not calling, why they don't show up when they're supposed to… And your clientele. It's just depleting faster and faster, isn't it?"

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, signifying that my rhetorical questions had taken the toll they were intended to. "What're you getting' at, Vic?"

"All my handy-work," I answered simply, having decided to cut to the chase rather than beat around the bush any longer. "I kill bad people. Murderers, rapists… People like your men." I got to my feet, leaning forward so that my forearms rested on his desk. My face was mere inches from his as I added a soft, "You wanna be top dog around here? Sic me on the competition. They'll never have a chance."

Vinnie's face was conflicted, displaying his inner struggle on whether to let his intimidation or testosterone reign as the driving force in his brain. He finally decided not to close the gap between our faces and instead backed down, sitting against his chair and separating us. He didn't once break eye contact as he informed me, "You drive a hard bargain, kid. Especially being as you killed all my best men."

I shrugged and sat again, leaning backwards in the seat in order to get more comfortable. I folded my arms over my chest and propped my feet up on his desk as I commented drily, "What can I say? I'm a real go-getter."

He paused for a moment, debating how to proceed with the conversation. His frown deepened as he scrutinized my facial expression and asked the question that I had been waiting for since I posed my offer: "What do you get out of it?"

"Like I said, I kill bad guys. Not innocent people. I can help you rob banks, kidnap for ransom, destroy the competition… I'll make you top dog. The only criminals I let live will be the ones working for you." I held up a finger and added, "_Unless _they hurt people who don't deserve to be hurt. I'll slaughter anyone who does it, whether they're on our side or not."

He leaned forward on his elbows in order to study my face even further . His eyes looked directly in my eyes as he asked a simple, "And if I decline?"

I shrugged once again, showing my indifference to the issue. I pretended to ponder his question before responding slowly, "I suppose I could just kill you right now and continue on how I've been. But that seems like such a waste, don't you think?"

Vinnie's teeth closed around his bottom lip as he mulled over all that had been said. After a few moments, he let out a heavy sigh and said aloud, "I suppose I don't have much of a choice, now, do I?"

"Not unless you want your body to wind up being found on the outskirts of town," I agreed.

His lips pressed together and retracted inside of his mouth. He finally nodded and decided, "Alright, Vic. You got a deal." He reached into his desk in order to pull out a gun, which he then slid across the desk to me. "Consider yourself hired."

I stopped it with my hand in order to push it back over to him. In my year with Murlough, most of which was spent during his mad days, I hadn't learned much about the ways of our people other than the most basic rules. And the first one I'd been taught, the most important one, was not to use projectile weapons. They were cowardly, and to even just carry one would be a disgrace. Vinnie was staring at me blankly, so I decided to explain, "I like getting my hands dirty."

I could see his mind working backwards, going back to the first impression he'd made of me. Not that I was innocent— that ploy had long gone— but that I was a slut. His for the taking. "Yeah," he agreed with a glint in his eye, "I'll bet you do."

Vinnie's stare remained on my face, and I took the opportunity to send as many cold vibes as physically possible. After a few moments of my constant scowling, he seemed to get the picture that he was the only one of us interested in doing anything. He broke our eye contact and reached into his desk in order to pull out a large manila envelope. He shoved it across the table at me, just like he had done a few moments ago with his gun. "While you're here, you might as well pick up on some slack," he said simply. "There's this guy, Rio. From New Orleans. Great guy, real nice family. Wife and two kids."

I opened the envelope and stared at the guy's mug shot skeptically. He had blood on his temple, and his left eye had been swollen shut. He was, however, still flashing his movie-star-white teeth at the camera as if it was a family portrait. "Seems it," I commented drily, looking him over a few more times. I glanced back up at Vinnie to ask, "So, what am I doing? Busting him out? Because don't think I won't do my homework on him. I will."

"Everything you need to know is in the envelope," he retorted in a way that made it clear I was grating on his nerves. He leaned back in his chair comfortably before going on to add, "His rap sheet's clean as a whistle. Worst offense he's committed is jaywalking."

I cocked an eyebrow at him skeptically, wondering whether or not Vinnie actually expected me to believe what he'd just said. Due to his unchanging facial expression, I quickly reached the conclusion that he did and posed what I considered to be a fair question: "Then what the hell's he in prison for? It doesn't look like he's just going in for a conjugal visit."

Vinnie's head snapped upright in order for his eyes to glare directly into mine. It was pretty clear that I'd hit a nerve there. "He's my brother. He helped me out a couple years back and now the world's out to get 'im for it."

I paused to consider the revelation before nodding my head in agreement. He didn't seem to be lying; though he was undoubtedly skilled in the art of untruths, there was a difference between his voice now and before when he was playing with me. "He even gone on trial yet?"

"No, they're just holding him for now." His face completely shut down, and I couldn't tell whether he was on the verge of a breakdown or about to put a bullet through my skull. His voice was steel as he demanded, "You gonna help him or not?"

"Why should I?" I retorted, not one to get pushed around. If he was going to turn on me, I needed to know now. And even if he wasn't, I needed to know where I stood anyways. Besides; I don't get pushed around. Not anymore. Now, I do the pushing.

"I can't—" Vinnie's voice broke, revealing the reason for his newfound hardness. He paused to regain his control before continuing, "I can't let 'im stay in there. D'you know what they do to guys in jail? It ain't a place for him. He don't belong in prison. They'll wreck him."

I nodded and stood, holding Rio's file in my hand. I caught Vinnie's gaze, which displayed all of the broken hope he was holding. I rolled my eyes at his expense, refusing to reveal that the amount of compassion he held for his brother actually moved me. "You'll have 'im here by morning."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I cut this chapter short because I wanted to **_**finally **_**give you guys **_**something**_**. I'm not quite sure what to do next chapter— probably Victoria going to get Rio, I dunno— but we'll see. I make no promises on when I'll update again, because I honestly have no clue when I will. But I'll try to make it at least relatively soon.**_


End file.
